


An Archaeological Marriage

by Krahka



Category: Star Wars: The Old Republic
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-03-27
Updated: 2014-03-27
Packaged: 2018-01-17 05:47:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,321
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1376134
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Krahka/pseuds/Krahka
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Jedi Consular makes a discovery and makes official his relationship with his sister's vassal.</p>
            </blockquote>





	An Archaeological Marriage

Coming back from a dig was an exciting time for both Talward and Talos. Before they met, ending digs had been sad points for them, as it meant they were questions they didn’t have time to answer, friends they had to leave behind, an end to something that, for a time, consumed their entire lives for a while and left them exhausted and covered in dirt every night and chipper every morning. But now that they had each other, there was one small thing to look forward to. Presenting results had always been a part of the process, the most important part of the process, but it took on a special meaning when it was presenting results to each other. It was less formal and nerve wracking and more exciting. It meant something different when it was presenting your findings to someone you loved, rather than a committee of judges.

They tried to meet on neutral or at least disputed territory each time. Talward would find an excuse to come and do diplomacy or healing, and Talos would find a site and do some consulting. There were advantages of answering to a Dark Council member who trusted you and considered you a friend and disadvantages to being on the Jedi Council and having to be the paragon of all it means to be a Jedi, or at least maintain the appearance of being one. Talward was happy to be the token unorthodox member, but unorthodoxy was only tolerated so far, and dalliances with Imperials might tip him over the edge, and the other Sith always were looking for reasons to overthrow Darth Nox, and her vassals trading stories, artifacts and the occasional kiss with a Jedi would be ammunition against her. So no matter what, they prefered to keep it quiet.

Today they met in a cave on Hoth, where Talos had first met Talward’s sister, Salune, before she had become Darth Nox. Talos couldn’t wait to give him a tour of the site, even now that it was long abandoned. It still held so many memories.

He also couldn’t wait to tell him about his last adventure. The Dark Temple on Dromund Kaas had been quiet for a while now. The spirits there appeared to be pacified, with Darth Nox’s help, and her favorite archaeologist, Talos Drellik got first pickings of the excavations. He obviously chose to excavate the tomb of Kallig first. It was his Lord’s request, and in spending time with his descendants, Talos had taken a liking to the most dangerous of Tulak Hord’s rivals. Archaeology was all about thwarting history and writing the tale of the losers. The losers had a way of sneaking up and winning in the end. The rise of Kallig’s heirs in both the Empire and the Republic showed that.

Talward was smiling even before Talos had entered. It took some getting used to the Miraluka’s disregard for walls. The Jedi jumped up from the floor of the cave and ran carefully across the ice to embrace Talos. Normally he wouldn’t go for such forward displays of emotion, but here they were not Jedi and Imperial officer, but fellow archaeologists, and perhaps lovers. Talward had some extremely complicated interpretation of the Jedi Code that allowed for their relationship, Talos didn’t care exactly what it was so long as they could be together without brooding. It was enough that they were torn apart by fate to be on opposing sides of a great galactic war, he didn’t want Talward to feel that he was betraying something he thought was important by being with him.

“So?” Talward said, glowing with anticipation. “What’d you find?”

Talos took out a pair of rings. “I was examining Kallig’s body, as well as the body of his wife and found these!”

Talward snatched them out of his hands to examine them. “Incredible! You do know these are traditional Miraluka wedding rings. All this time as a Sith, and Kallig was still Miraluka in the end! The crystals, you see, they have a certain wavelength in the Force, oh, I guess you don’t see it …”

“They are very beautiful, even in the visual spectrum,” Talos tried to add.

“Well, I suppose I wouldn’t see that either. We’ll have to take each other’s words for it?”

Talos laughed at this. “I’m not sure about your taste in beauty. After all, you like me.”

“You also have a certain wavelength in the Force. And you’ve got a damn brilliant mind. That’s more beautiful than anything anyone can see, in the Force or otherwise.”

“You flatter me far too much,” Talos said, blushing a bit from the open praise.

They sat in silence as Talward continued to examine the rings. “It occurs to me,” the Jedi said, “that there are certain implications to you giving me wedding rings.”

Talos was taken aback and started to babble. “Well, if this were a proposal, I think I would’ve been prepared for it. I would’ve put on my nicest uniform and everything!”

“If you aren’t ready … It was just a thought.”

“No,” Talos said, thinking on it. “Actually, it works out just fine. I can’t see this going any other way. I would present the rings, but may I ask for your hand even after I’ve shown them?”

“It’s not that simple. Jedi are discouraged from forming attachments, and can only marry with the permission of the Jedi Council. It hasn’t been done lately. The pendulum has swung strongly towards conservatism.”

“But aren’t you on the Council?”

“I suppose I am. And I suppose I never cared what they thought. I answer to the Force, not to them. But what about you? Are you sure you want to go through this? If your own superiors found out that you were married to a Jedi …”

“Your sister is my superior, and she knows. And she doesn’t care. And besides, I’d risk it all just to be with you. As you said, a brilliant mind is the most beautiful thing, and you are the most brilliant man I’ve ever met. Just imagine! The two of us, on an adventure that’ll last our entire lives!”

“A Jedi craves not adventure.”

“But what of knowledge? Isn’t that in your code? Imagine the digs we could go on together! Ignorance wouldn’t stand a chance against us!”

Talward smiled and shook his head. “I see you’re determined to go through with this. Not even I can talk you out of this.”

Talos nodded. “I am. More than anything else in my life. Give me back the rings so I can do it properly now!”

Talward handed him back the rings. Talos put one of them in his pocket and got down on one knee to present the other.

“Talward Metharom, heir of Kallig, your humble servant requests your hand in marriage. Humbly.”

Talos laughed. “You don’t have to do it humbly. Of course I’ll take it!” He reached down to pull him up for a kiss.

“A secret marriage,” Talward said after it was all done. “How scandalous. I really hope this doesn’t get you assassinated.”

“A short life with you would be better than a thousand lifetimes alone! Truly, it was destiny that brought us together!”

Talward turned sad for a moment. “I’m not sure. I can only foresee this ending badly. But I will stand by your side until that ill end. And always in motion, the future is.”

They stood silent for a moment, thinking of the implications of what they just did. And both of them decided that it was for the best.

Talward was the one to break the silence. “It’s awfully cold, here. In the words of a shirtless cult leader I once met on this planet, would you care to share body heat?”

Talos chuckled at the cheesiness. “Well, we’ll have to make a lot of friction for enough heat to result, won’t we?”


End file.
